The New York Mets might spend the final days of the regular season continuing to benefit from teams failing to take advantage of the extended subpar play of the Mets in their effort to grab the final National League wild-card spot.
But New York would rather not take that chance.
The Mets again will look to earn a series win on Thursday afternoon when they host the San Diego Padres in the finale of a three-game set between the teams occupying the final two NL wild-card spots.
Rookie Jonah Tong (1-2, 8.49 ERA) is slated to start for the Mets against fellow right-hander Randy Vasquez (5-6, 3.72).
The Mets’ two-game winning streak ended Wednesday after Manny Machado hit a tiebreaking grand slam in the fifth inning to lead the Padres to a 7-4 victory.
Despite losing for the ninth time in 11 games, the Mets (78-74) remained 1 1/2 games ahead of the Arizona Diamondbacks (77-76) in the race for the NL’s last wild-card berth. The Diamondbacks fell 5-1 in 11 innings to the San Francisco Giants on Wednesday.
New York also is two games ahead of the Giants and Cincinnati Reds, both of whom are 76-76. The Diamondbacks are off Thursday, while San Francisco visits the Los Angeles Dodgers and the Reds host the Chicago Cubs.
The Mets are just 33-50 since June 13, when they began the day with the best record in baseball. New York is clinging to the final wild card thanks to the mediocrity of the Diamondbacks (43-42 since June 13), Reds (41-42) and Giants (36-47).
“We’re in a good spot, but we’ve got to get going today,” said right fielder Juan Soto, who hit one of the Mets’ four solo homers but pulled a potential game-tying, two-run shot just foul before striking out in the seventh against Mason Miller. “We cannot wait for tomorrow because tomorrow is going to be too late.”
A seventh win in 11 games kept the Padres (83-69) in good position to earn the second NL wild card.
San Diego is five games behind the Cubs (88-64), who clinched a playoff berth with Wednesday’s 8-4 win over the Pittsburgh Pirates. The Padres are five games clear of the Mets and 6 1/2 games ahead of the Diamondbacks.
San Diego also is two games behind NL West-leading Dodgers.
Padres manager Mike Shildt treated Wednesday much like a playoff game by pulling starter Nick Pivetta — who had completed at least five innings in each of his previous 14 starts — with two outs in the fifth and San Diego ahead 6-3.
Adrian Morejon struck out the left-handed-hitting Brandon Nimmo and threw a perfect sixth. Miller later retired all five batters he faced.
“Tonight felt like a playoff game — and yes, I have and will continue to manage aggressively,” Shildt said. “Tonight especially, sitting there and you’re going, ‘OK let Nicky go finish it and try to get him a win.’ Well, right now it’s about team wins.”
Tong struggled in his third career start last Friday as he took the loss after giving up six runs in two-thirds of an inning in an 8-3 defeat to the Texas Rangers.
Vasquez earned the win in his most recent start last Thursday by striking out a career-high nine over six scoreless innings in the Padres’ 2-0 victory over the Colorado Rockies.
Tong has never pitched against the Padres, and Vasquez has yet to oppose the Mets.
–Field Level Media
